The present invention relates to acidic treatment fluids used in industrial and oil field operations, and more particularly, to acidic treatment fluids comprising gelling agents that comprise scleroglucan and/or diutan, and their use in industrial and oil field operations. As used herein, the term “treatment fluid” refers to any fluid that may be used in a subterranean application in conjunction with a desired function and/or for a desired purpose. The term “treatment fluid” does not imply any particular action by the fluid or any component thereof.
Acidizing and fracturing procedures using acidic treatment fluids are commonly carried out in subterranean well formations to accomplish a number of purposes including, but not limited to, to facilitate the recovery of desirable hydrocarbons from the formation. One commonly used aqueous acidic treatment fluid comprises hydrochloric acid. Other commonly used acids for acidic treatment fluids include: hydrofluoric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, citric acid, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (“EDTA”), glycolic acid, sulfamic acid, and derivatives or combinations thereof.
Acidic treatment fluids are used in various subterranean operations. For example, formation acidizing or “acidizing” is a well known method for increasing the flow of desirable hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. In a matrix acidizing procedure, an aqueous acidic treatment fluid is introduced into a subterranean formation via a well bore therein under pressure so that the acidic treatment fluid flows into the pore spaces of the formation and reacts with the acid-soluble materials therein. As a result, the pore spaces of that portion of the formation are enlarged, and consequently, the permeability of the formation should increase. The flow of hydrocarbons from the formation is therefore increased because of the increase in formation conductivity caused, inter alia, by dissolution of the formation material. In fracture acidizing procedures, one or more fractures are produced in the formations and an acidic treatment fluid is introduced into the fracture(s) to etch flow channels therein. Acidic treatment fluids also may be used to clean out well bores to facilitate the flow of desirable hydrocarbons. Other acidic treatment fluids may be used in diversion processes, and well bore clean-out processes. A specific example is filter cake removal.
To increase the viscosity of an aqueous acid treatment fluid, a suitable gelling agent may be included in the treatment fluid (often referred to as “gelling” the fluid). Gelling an aqueous acidic treatment fluid may be useful to prevent the acid from becoming prematurely spent and inactive. Additionally, gelling an aqueous acidic treatment fluid may enable the development of wider fractures so that live acid may be forced further into the formation from the well bore. Gelling the acidic treatment fluid may delay the interaction of the acid with an acid soluble component in the well bore or the formation. Moreover, gelling an aqueous acidic treatment fluid may permit better fluid loss control of the fluid.
Acidic treatment fluids used in subterranean operations are predominantly water-based fluids that comprise gelling agents that may increase their viscosities, inter alia, to provide viscosity to control the rate of spending of the acid. These gelling agents are usually biopolymers or synthetic polymers that, when hydrated and at a sufficient concentration, are capable of forming a more viscous fluid. Common gelling agents include polysaccharides (such as xanthan), synthetic polymers (such as polyacrylamide), and surfactant gel systems. Acidic treatment fluids comprising xanthan generally have sufficient viscosity for lower temperature operations. At elevated temperatures (e.g., those above about 120° F. to about 150° F.), however, the viscosity of such xanthan treatment fluids are diminished. Consequently, xanthan may not be a suitable gelling agent for acidic treatment fluids when those fluids are used in well bores that comprise elevated temperatures. Other gelling agents such as synthetic gelling agents (e.g., polyacrylamides) have been used, but they are often difficult to disperse and usually require considerable mixing or agitation to develop full viscosity. Additionally, most conventional gelling agents, including guar and some synthetic polymers, may form acid insoluble residues. Moreover, surfactant gel systems can be expensive, and are often sensitive to impurities. Also, surfactant gel systems often require hydrocarbon breakers.